rife

[rahyf]

adjective

1. of common or frequent occurrence; prevalent; in widespread existence, activity, or use.

   Crime is rife in the slum areas of our cities.

2. current in speech or report.

   Rumors are rife that the government is in financial difficulty.

3. abundant, plentiful, or numerous.

   Synonyms: teeming, multitudinous, plenteous
   Antonyms: scarce

4. abounding (usually followed bywith ).

rife

/ raɪf /

adjective

1. of widespread occurrence; prevalent or current

   rumour was rife in the village

2. very plentiful; abundant

3. (foll by with) abounding (in)

   a land rife with poverty

Other Word Forms

• rifely adverb
• rifeness noun
• overrife adjective
• unrife adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rife¹

before 1150; Middle English; Old English rīfe; cognate with Middle Dutch rijf abundant, Old Norse rīfr

Word History and Origins

Origin of rife¹

Old English rīfe ; related to Old Norse rīfr generous, Middle Dutch rīve

Example Sentences

The case has sparked huge interest across Australia, with images of the blond, curly-haired boy featured across local media and speculation running rife online.

Read more on BBC

As it turns out, this camp is rife with the ghosts of young dead boys — the phone keeps ringing and it won’t stop until Finney picks it up.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"To be a young person in Madagascar, you have to be tough," he adds, explaining that insecurity is rife.

Read more on BBC

Investors need to know how companies are planning to secure water in regions where droughts are rife, the report said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Whereas America’s litigious culture forces bona fide compliance with national and international law, Chinese companies are rife with fraud and theatrics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abundant 
• alive 
• plentiful 
• popular 
• prevalent 
• rampant 
• replete